As is well known, garments placed in storage devices of all types become wrinkled over a period of time. The garment wrinkling becomes exasperated when moved in these storage devices. For example, a traveler packs a garment bag, suitcase, and/or carry-on luggage with clothing needed for a trip. Typically upon arriving at a destination the traveler opens the garment bag, suitcase, and/or carry-on luggage only to find that clothing which had been originally wrinkled-free when loaded into the storage device now looks like it was "slept in." This is particularly acute for a business traveler who must go from destination to destination and look sharp and neat at each stop.
Over the years many approaches have been used to minimize or reduce the wrinkling of stored garments. One such approach is to place cardboard partitions between articles of clothing in order to minimize contact between the clothing, and thus wrinkling. With this approach static electricity may build up when the clothing rubs against the cardboard which results in wrinkled clothing. In addition, cardboard partitions may slip out of place during transport of the stored garments.
In another approach, individual clothing is wrapped in various types of plastic and then placed in the storage device. Here again, static electricity may build up which results in wrinkled clothing.
In still another approach, sheets of stiff plastic are positioned between articles of clothing and packed in a storage device. With this approach, storage of the stiff plastic itself between trips is cumbersome, and wrinkles in plastic typically result in wrinkles in clothing. In addition, the insertion of stiff plastic prevents the stored garments from being folded upon themselves, which is commonly done during transportation of garments.
In another approach, cellophane is placed between articles of clothing or around each article of clothing as the clothing is put in a storage device. In this method, the cellophane can crinkle up during transportation of the garments. In addition, the fragile nature of cellophane typically allows it to be used only once before it must be disposed up.
What is needed is a lightweight, inexpensive, convenient, and versatile method and apparatus to minimize or reduce the accumulation of wrinkles in garments being transported and/or stored, which can be easily adapted to the needs and requirements of the traveler and his garments.